Packing mechanism for potato graders



April 13,1926. 1,580,153

W. P. PETERSON ET AL PACKING MEGHANISM FOR POTATO ,GRADERS Filed D90.21. 1925 L, 757252104/ K. K fera-@Jar Patented Apr. 13, 19726. v

1,.'isa1632g UNITED sf1-Ariesl oil-TIF.Tc151i.:

WILLIAM r. PETERSON, IRA L. BETERSON, AND'XARL v.r1 i rrERson, or'LILY',v

Y vSOUTH DAKOTA'Q. Y l

rAoKINs MEOHANISM Fonro'rarocnannns.

Application filed December 21,1923. Serial No. 682,046.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, VILLIAM P. PETER- soN, IRA L. PETEnsON, and KARLV'. PETER- soN, citizens of the United States, residing at Lily, in thecounty of Day and State of South Dakota, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Packing Mechanism for Potato Graders, of whichthe following is a specification. y

The present invention relates to a packing mechanism for use on aportable apparatus adapted to be hitched to a conventional form ofpotato digger to receive the potatoes therefrom so that they may begraded.

An important Object of the invention is to provide a packing mechanismwherein a vertically disposed shaft is mounted on the apparatus and atube is rotatably mounted on the shaft and has carried thereby sackengaging means.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of an apparatus showing my improved devicethereon,

.Figure 2 is'an enlarged detail view partly in elevation and partly invertical section showing the revolvable or rotatable bag holders, l

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the device embodying the features of myinvention,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of one of the 'bag holder arms partly inelevation and partly in section, and

Figure 5 is an enlarged radial sectional view, taken through thecoverthat supports the radial arms of the bag holder and illustratingdetails of the releasable pins for engaging the bags at the inner endsof said arms. f Y i Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be seenthat 19 designates generally the portable apparatus on which ourimproved packing mechanism is mounted.

The rotatable sack holder embodies a base plate 44 having a centralrigid upstanding .shaft 45 that extends upwardly into a vertical tube 46within the upper end of which is secured a vbearing block 47, a ballbearing 48 being disposed between the upper end of the rod or post 45and the block 47 to form a thrust bearing whereby the tube 46 visanti-frictionally mounted for rotation about the post 45. Secured uponthe lower end of thc tube- 46 is a horizontal platform 49 upon which thebags 50 are to be placed and fixed upon the upper portion of the tube 46is a collar A51 provided with a plurality of radial arms 52 betweenalternate ones of which said bags are adapted to be positioned, thespace betweenA the arms 52 and the platform 49 being substantially equalto the typesof bags 50 as shown in Figure 2. The remaining alternatearms 52 are connected and the spaces therebetween bridged by means offlexible pieces of fabric indicated at 53, and the outer ends of thearms 52 are provided with up- 65 wardly and outwardly projectingl pins54 onto which the upper edges of the outer portions of the sacks are tobe secured, releasable pins 54 being provided upon the collars 51between alternate ones of the arms 52 70k onto which' the inner portionsof said bags or sacks are adapted to be engaged, whereby the open upperends of the sacks areV held in an open position to receiver the potatoesdischarged thru the hoppers 17 from the 75 picking table as the bagholder is rotated to successively bring said sacks into place beneathlsaid hopper. The pieces of cloth yat 53 prevent the potatoes fromdropping thru the hopper when the bag holder is being rotated to bringanew or empty sack into position beneath said hopper and to move afilled sack out of the way. In order to secure this result, the shaftorpost 45 of the bag holder isy mounted at one side of the S5 pickingtable at its discharge end.

The releasable pins 55 maybe of angular formas shown in Figure 13, withopposed parallel vertical portions thereof slidably disposed in parallelradially alignedt openings in the collars 51, the inner verticalportions of each pin 55 being extended upwardly and terminating linafinger piece 56 between'which and the collar 51 is located a compressionspring 57 whereby said pins 55 are normally projected upwardly toreceive the edge of the sack. Obviously, by depression of the button k56of any desired one of the pins 55', the inner portion of the particularsack'engaged therewith will be released, so that when the filled sack ismanually lifted to disengage the outer portion thereof from the pins 54of the adjacent pair of arms, the same may be placed in an outof the wayposition upon the platform 19 for being sewed and thereby effectivelyclosed.

That we claim as new is: A packing mechanism comprising a verticallydisposed shaft, a tube rotatably mounted upon the shaft, a circularplatform carried by the tube, radially disposed arms hold sacks in opencondition and in triangu- 10 mounted upon the tube and spaced above thelar form and With the lower ends of the platform, said arms being'spaced from each sae-ks resting on the platform.

other at regular intervals, the outer ends of In testimony whereof Weaffix our signathe arms projecting beyond the edge of the tures.

platform, outwardly disposed pins carried at the outer ends of the arms,pins located TILLIAM l?. PETERSON. between the arms and at the innerends IRA L. PETER-SON. thereof, the pins being so arranged as to KARL V.PETERSON.

